Sam Lee was on a fishing holiday in Spain with his dad when he suddenly became embroiled in a bitter battle with the underwater beast.

The Chester schoolboy was with dad Peter when the 2.5 metre-long carnivorous fish snatched the live bait at the end of his line – bringing to a start a 30-minute fight.

It immediately bolted 100 metres downstream, but Sam hung on - and eventually landed it after a 35 minute battle.

Catch: The massive fish fought for half an hour (Photo: Cascade)

He then posed for a traditional photo to secure bragging rights before letting the creature swim back into the water at the River Ebro in Catalonia.

Dad Peter said: "Sam certainly hit the jackpot with that monster. He was exhausted but ecstatic after the fish was eventually landed, weighed and photographed. It was safely returned to the river and swam away in good health."

He landed a 133lb catfish on the same stretch of river during a holiday last year and never expected to beat that.

But he quickly hooked a 133lb fish this time before feeling the tug of the 208lb fish on the end of his line later on.

Battle: Sam was dwarfed by the fish (Photo: Cascade)

Peter, who hooked a rare albino catfish weighing 116lb, said they had "an amazing few days" fishing.

"This was his third trip to the Ebro in search of giant catfish. The big one took 35 minutes to land and Sam had to be taken out in a boat by the guide from the swim to play and land it as it stripped 100m of line on its first big run. Sam did brilliantly to land it."